Explain how the activities we did today developed your knowledge and understanding of Greek theatre. Activities Included Group vocal- chorus sustaining a group note /sound Oedipus the king etreact reflect on kayley's group/ the direction given and effect of direction mask: neutral masks. How did it feel (as actor+audience)
Journal entry #1 Today was a normal Monday afternoon except for the fact that we had double drama and that we as actors were going to be introduced to the concepts of masks and to the concept of chorus's. The activities that we did today really helped increase my knowledge and undesrtanding of Greek Theatre because knowing that the Greek's used masks and chorus's transforms you into a whole new acting world. I am first going to discuss the chorus side of Ancient Greek Theatre and what we did in class relating to being in a chorus. The whole class started off being a chorus together. We had to experience how hard it was to keep in unicen without being counted in, also we had never done anything like that before so it was nice to experience something new. Also when you are in a chorus doing an exercise when one person sings a note and everyone joins in you kind of feel like you have sung with that group before. When we were in groups performing the Oedipus scene chorus really added more drama to the scene. Secondly when my group got directions from Ms Partington to get the chorus to move in slower and slower added huge dramatic effect to the scene because the suspense was created and it drew the audience in. I am glad you could see the impact this decision made. Consider this too, when rehearsing your scene for performance. Lastly when we worked with the masks being an audience was very intimidating because people that you know walking around in white masks not acting like themselves and invading you personal space is really quite scary, especially if the person is acting angry or like a wild animal and is completely not themselves.
6/02/11
Notes on BBC - Greeks laugh in an unpleasant way - Men in costume, e.g bird costume - Comedy was introduced after 400 BC - Comedy allows people to participate - No boundaries between the world of the stage and the audiences’ world - Highly skilled comic actors - Old comedy is called ‘old comedy’ because that is what the Greek’s called it. - If the play writer didn’t like someone, they would display that person’s habits on stage. - Drama was incorporated into a religious festival - The god of performance is very present in the world of comedy as opposed to the world of tragedy - The Greek’s turned everything they had into competitions - The Greek’s loved to go see plays if they knew that there would be prize winners and that there would be hatred - Play writes want success because it was very competitive - You have a very small number of highly skilled actors - The actors were professionals-they didn’t do anything else - The Chorus people were all amateurs. Practically everyone in the audience would all be chorus members - All men - All of Aristophanes plays are built around ideas. - The imagination that makes the comedy good
Journal entry #2 date: 9/02/11 The activities today develop your knowledge and understanding of Greek Theatre, What was the focus? The focus of today's lesson was using masks. However it wasn't that simple as we weren't allowed to talk we had to use big gestures to show what we were feeling. To start off with we each chose a mask (not a greek theatre one) and put it on in the mirror and got into character. I had a mask that would probably be used in a tragedy. We were instructed to walk around the room pretending we were that character. I had to make myself think that I was sad and I had to show other people that I was sad as well. I walked around with my hands on my face, in a way kind of hiding my face and pretending to wipe the tears from my eyes. We had to focus on the way we were walking and the way that we reacted with people. It is quite tricky to get used to wearing a mask. I can't imagine how hard it would be for Greek actors because their masks were huge and they were performing to huge crowds of people so their actions had to be humongous and extravagant. Later on in the lesson we had to pair up with someone and go through 5 different freeze frames that told a story, with no talking, this taught us to make our actions really obvious and not rely on facial expressions as when you have a mask on no one can see your face. So we had to think carefully about how to use our hands and body language to show our emotions. I was a sad person so I put my head down and my hand over my face to show that I was sort of hiding from everything. I mainly used my hands to my advantage because you can use them easily to show emotion. It is great to see you are reflecting regularly. You are linking the activity to the skills quite well. It would eb good for you to investigate these further by researching movement and mask. Include your discoveries on your wiki.
12/02/11, Journal entry #3 Review the two different performances. What meaning has created with the female cast? How did this change with the boy actors. The two different performances of the play were completely different in many different ways. When the girls performed the mood was very serious and there was no humour in it whatsoever! The girls performed it as though they were those women and as though their husbands had really gone to war. None of the girls took the mickey out of the play or the characters at all! I also think the girl’s performance would’ve been really boring to watch as there was no humour or life in it, it was all just plain and simple. When the boys performed everything changed. The whole mood of the play went from serious to hilarious! Thus Greek Comedy was born!The reason for this is because the fact that boys were playing female characters gossiping and ranting on about men is just all out funny. Also boys enjoy taking the mickey out of the female characters and use stereotypes when doing this. For example Rigel put a voice on and acted really posh and iffy which being an audience member just makes you giggle. It is the same with girls playing boy characters; we enjoy taking the mickey because it makes the audience enjoy the performance more as it is funnier.
14/02/11-Valentines Day :D Chorus work: activity 'speaking in one voice' - What were the challenges in this activity? You needed to offer and yueld as you spoke as one, what do these terms mean? What skills can this task teach which you will need for Greek/Roman theatre performance? The were many different challenges faced in this activity, one was the fact that you actually had to speak at exactly the same time with two other people, without actually knowing what we were going to say. Another challenge you faced when doing this activity was actually coming up with what you were going to say on the spot, without knowing what the interviewer is going to ask you. The last challenge we faced in the activity was having to listen to the other people in the group and in a way guessing what they were going to say and having to get your words right immeaditely. The terms to 'offer' and to 'yield' mean that you have to suggest ideas (offering) by starting to speak and letting people follow with you. To yield is when you are going along with what the other person has offered. For example, if someone in your group of 3 was starting to say ' I... had... a ..... bath' You would say the same thing and not try and be funny and change it. The skills that you learn in this task are learning to be 'one' and this is what you need to do when you are in a chorus. You have to be exactly in sync to get the best effect when being in a chorus otherwise no-one understands what the line you are peforming is...
Extract #2 Lysistrata-enter the chorus.
Summary online of the play 'Lysistrata'
Simply stated, the plot of Lysistrata depicts Athenian women who are fed up with the Peloponnesian War, so they barricade themselves in the Akropolis. They orchestrate a sex strike in order to force their husbands to vote for peace with
Sparta.
The play’s action occurs on a street in Athens in front of a gate to the Akropolis, which looms in the background. As the
play begins, Lysistrata, an Athenian woman, is pacing back and forth, waiting for the women of various Greek states to
gather to form an alliance for peace. Finally Kleonike, another Athenian woman, arrives. The frustrated Lysistrata
complains of the women’s tardiness. Eventually more women arrive including Lampito, a strapping Spartan woman;
Ismenia, a pretty Boiotian girl; and a very large Korinthian woman. After greeting each other and inspecting each other’s
differences, Lysistrata asks all the women if they would prefer their husbands and sons home rather than out fighting a
war. She suggests a plan of sexual abstinence as a method of peaceful coercion. The women at first refuse, but Lysistrata
convinces them and leads them in an oath of allegiance. As soon as the oath is completed, loud cries are heard in the distance, and Lysistrata reveals that a group of older women, under her orders, have taken over the Akropolis. Lysistrata sends Lampito to Sparta to spread the word of their feminine alliance. The rest of the women enter into the Akropolis to set up their command center. A chorus of old men enter carrying wooden logs, torches, and fire pots. The men move slowly and are weak from age, but they plan to storm the Akropolis and punish the women who plotted against them. A chorus of old women carrying pitchers of water then enters. They confront the old men and a verbal battle ensues, ending with the chorus of women dumping their pitchers of water over the men’s heads. The Commissioner of Public Safety enters and orders his policemen to force open the Akropolis’s gates (p. 45). Once opened, Lysistrata is revealed accusing all men of having brawn and no brains when it comes to solving conflicts. The Commissioner orders the policemen to arrest her. One by one each policeman is dissuaded as the other women in the Akropolis come forward and threaten the men with various domestic weapons. Eventually a large battle ensues, and Lysistrata calls on an army of women who defeat the men using their household weapons. Beaten and disgruntled, the Commissioner requests that Lysistrata state her terms. She reveals a plan where the women will control the state budget and save the men from the war. The Commissioner angrily ridicules Lysistrata as she attempts to explain her plan. Lysistrata, aided by the other women, silences the Commissioner by wrapping him in her veil, transforming him into a figurative woman. The chorus of women dance and sing of their plans for peace. Lysistrata reveals a step-by-step approach to align the states of Greece and stop the war. The Commissioner tells the women they neither have rights nor any voice in decisions about the war. The women attack him and then retreat into the Akropolis leaving the male chorus to address the audience. The male chorus leader commands the men to ready for war and then attacks his female counterpart. The choruses strip off their tunics and engage in a naked battle of the sexes. Lysistrata enters, interrupts the battle, and announces that many of the women in the Akropolis are trying to escape. She stops a number of women in their departure who use weak excuses of domestic duty rather than admitting they simply want to return to their husbands for sex. Lysistrata convinces the A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of Aristophanes’s Lysistrata The male chorus tells a story of a mighty hunter known for his celibacy and misogynous behavior. Both choruses exchange insults and fight for a second time. They are interrupted by Lysistrata who spies a man approaching the Akropolis. Myrrhine, a young Athenian woman, recognizes the man as her husband Kinesias. Lysistrata tells Myrrhine to use her womanly wiles to seduce and coerce him, but warns her to know when to stop. Kinesias arrives bearing a full erection, and Lysistrata teases him relentlessly. Kinesias, in obvious physical distress, tries many tactics to convince Myrrhine to come home and have sex with him. Myrrhine appears to succumb, suggesting that they have sex immediately. Kinesias eagerly agrees. Myrrhine offers bed, mattress, and pillow, running back and forth between Kinesias and the Akropolis. She provides all that is necessary without an ounce of sexual contact. This teasing game escalates Kinesias’s frustrated desire, so that when they are finally lying together and Myrrhine asks for his vote for peace, Kinesias cries out, “I’ll think it over!” Myrrhine runs off without satisfying him, and Kinesias delivers a tragic soliloquy, accompanied by the male chorus. A Spartan herald, wearing a cloak in an attempt to conceal his erection, is intercepted by the Commissioner who also displays an erection (p.91). The frustrated men exit, agreeing to convince their separate senates of an armistice. The male chorus chastises the female chorus, but the female chorus returns their verbal attacks with kind offers and a gentle kiss to the male chorus leader who proclaims, “Life with women is hell. Life without women is hell, too.” The two choruses unite and address the audience with an invitation to a conjoined feast of peace. Two groups of men enter, one from Athens and one from Sparta, all concealing erections underneath cloaks. They plead for peace at any cost and call upon Lysistrata to help them resolve the conflict. Lysistrata appears with Peace, a naked handmaiden, whom she instructs to lead the two groups of men to her so that she may address them. Peace does so, causing further arousal. Lysistrata points out to each party how the other had come to their neighbor’s aid in past wars and chastises them for treating each other so badly. The men guiltily agree and attempt to plan a treaty using Peace’s naked body like a map, making claims to certain parts. Lysistrata stops them and urges them to leave and purify themselves so that they may return and enter the Akropolis for a peace ceremony. She promises a home-cooked feast, concluding with the men taking their wives home. The men eagerly exit to prepare for the feast while the united choruses address the audience about their new-found appreciation for their neighbors. The drunk and happy men come out of the Akropolis, led by a flutist, celebrating their new peaceful behavior. Lysistrata matches the women with each of their men and charges all to dance and sing to the gods in thanks for this happy ending. They all do so, and exit singing and dancing. "A teacher's Guide to the signet classic edition of Aristophanes Lysistrata." Signet Classic. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. <bompacrazy.com/library/teaching
What themes/issues are explored in the play? The issues and themes explored in the play mainly relate to female discrimmination. This is because men were way more superior to women back in those days and men expected women to do everything for them and the men thought they could order women around and tell them what to do and expect them to obey. Another issue in this play is that the women are refusing to sleep with their husbands until the war is over. They are sick of being used when the men come home just to leave again in a couple of days, they aren't having sex because they are in love the only reason the men are having sex with the women is because they need it as they've been gone so long without it.
Masks- How are you progressing? I haven't started making my mask yet as I haven't managed to research any plays and I haven't been able to ge to spotlight.
17th February - Homework - The Greeks and their Gods You have noticed by now that the Greek plays we have read are filled with references to the Gods. Find 10 examples of references and explain the meaning of each. The story of Medusa and Athena. Medusa was a beautiful maiden who lived in the city of Athens. Unfortunately she knew that she was beautiful and bragged about her beauty constantly. Medusa raved about her beauty to anyone who stopped long enough to listen. Until one day when she made her first visit to the Parthenon with her friends. The Parthenon was the largest temple to the goddess Athena in all the land. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, for inspiring them and for watching over their city of Athens. Thesmophoriazusae. This play includes a festival that was dedicated to the godess Demeter who is the goddess of fertility, agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest.
The KINGHTS: In the first line of this play the word god is mentioned. "Oh! alas! alas! alas! Oh! woe! oh! woe! Miserable Paphlagonian! may the gods destroy both him and his cursed advice! Since that evil day when this new slave entered the house he has never ceased belabouring us with blows." Here a reference is made to all the gods and how they have the ability to destroy people.
The Clouds: In this play a reference is made to all the gods but there is also a reference made to Demeter the goddess of harvest. Well then, by Demeter! I will no longer support you, neither you, nor your team, nor your saddle-horse. Go and hang yourself, I turn you out of house and home. Peace: This play is about a middle aged Athenean man called Trygaues. Trygaeus's misson, he declares, is to reason with the gods about the war or, if they will not listen, he will prosecute the gods for treason against Greece. Then he soars across the stage heavenwards. Arriving outside the house of the gods, Trygaeus discovers that only Hermes is home. In this play all the gods are mentioned but one of the actual characters in this play is Hermes. Hermes is the god of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry.
The Oresteia: This play is a tragedy written by Aeschylus. This play makes references to the gods but also to a particular god Apollo. Apollo is the god of music, healing, plague, prophecies, poetry, and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun. The Frogs: This play was a tragedy written by Euripedes. This play is about where Dionysus travels to Hades to bring Euripides back from the dead; after a competition of poetry, the god opts to bring Aeschylus instead. Dionysus was the god of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure and Hades was the god of the underworld. He was everything to do with death. The Bacchae: This is a tragedy that is based on the mythological story of King Pentheus and his mother Agave, and their punishment by the god Dionysus for refusing to worship him. The god Dionysus was the god of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure. Oedipus: This is a tragedy written by Sophocles. After having been married some time without children, his parents consulted the Oracle of Apollo(God of Sun) at Delphi about their childlessness. The Oracle prophesized that if Jocasta should have a son, the son would kill her husband Laius and marry her. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment, when Jocasta indeed bore a son, Laius had his ankles pinned together so that he could not crawl, and gave the boy to a servant to abandon ("expose") on the nearby mountain. As you can see Apollo has been represented but in oracle form. Two more things to remember. Include links to thesources you have used for research. And, include photographs of your mask in progress. Great start to your workbook Sophie. Well done. 23/2/11 Ms P.
Photos of the gods....
Medusa
external image medusa.jpg
Dionysus
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Hermes
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Apollo
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Demeter
external image demeter-statue.jpg
The Frogs-25/02/11
My group is performing the play The Frogs. The Frogs is a Greek Comedy written by Aristophanes. I am playing Xanthias who is Dionysus's slave. Xanthias is the underdog because he is very brave, Xanthias also brings some of the comedy aspect into the play with some of his remarks. Dionysus is the god and thinks he is amazing, he believes that he is the best and the strongest, however he isn't! My character is meant to be the weak one, however he is actually a whole lot braver than his master Dionysus.
MASK IDEAS
comedy_mask-plain_white.jpg
This is a picture of a plain white mask sort of like mine. I have drawn arrows on this picture to show that I don't want his mouth to be showing that much happiness, his mouth still needs to be big but I don't want him to be smiling all the time as the scene we are doing is set in the underworld, so it wouldn't really make sense if he had a huge grin on his face when they were in the underworld because the underworld is the complete opposite of happy. I want him to still be smiling a little because he is in a comedy play and he does laugh a little during the scene. Seeing that Xanthias is a slave and wasn't in the army he can't have a beard as only soldiers had beards in Ancient Greece. Everyone could recognise slaves because in our scene 'Charon' as soon as he sees Xanthias he tells Dionysus that no slaves are allowed. So Xanthias has to be a bit scrawny, so his cheeks can't be big and bubbly they have to be drawn and in a way old.
Mask Progress
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Homework- 2/03/11
28th February - Homework - Greek Theatre - Acting, Voice, Movement, Music, Character & Emotion. In your pink booklet (the one which has a plastic cover) reread the first reading from Acting in Style pp88-92 and take notes on your wiki under the following headings.
Acting
Voice
Movement
Music
Acting
Actors wore masks to show changes in character
The masks were large and serious for tragedy but for comedy they were more life size and grotesque.
Long, flowing garments or short simple tunics, usually in bright colours were used.
Later on high headdress's were worn
The exact style of acting in Greek Tragedy remains uncertain.
Men took on female roles however it was suggested that some women played minor comedy parts.
The total concept of characterisation was truthfulness in a some what larger-than-life impersonation.
Voice
Given a strong, resonant, clear voice, an actor did not need to exert excessive efort when speaking.
It was hard to sustain a long sentence.
Movement
The actors had to carry themselves with authority and confidence.
Most of the movements were probably slow, majestic and rythmic and must've been simplififed and broadened to accompany the idealsed characterisation.
Physical contact between actors was probably rare; the quality of restraint could have been accentuated by allowing great phsical distance between characters.
The maner of speaking was directed more towards the audience instead of teh other actors.
Actors hardly ever sat on stage.
Individiualised physical movements were kept to a minimum.
The clothing of later periods restricted the mobility of the actors.
There was no need for facial expressions as your face was hidden by a mask
Costumes remained similar to everyday wear.
Music
In the beginning, the music was light, to underscore choral passages.
Later on the music became more important and actors used a variety of instruments including a flute.
A flute player probably preceded the chorus into the orchestra and played music as accompaniment.
Music was very important in choral interludes because it made the singing and dancing more harmonious.
In show and tell (filming)
Reflect and give feedback for each group. What is working well? What do the group need to change/adjust? How long does the performance last? How Greek is it????
Group 1. (Sean, Katie, Jannette, Tom)
Everyone has good voice intonation and expression.The body language works well with what they are saying. They need to improve on voice projection and speaking to the audience because that is what Greek Actors did as opposed to talking to the other actors. The staging also needs to be improved because both of the feuding parties are on the same side, so they need to be on opposite sides. The performance goes for around 5 mins 30 which means it is perfect timing. The play was relatively Greek as two masks were finished.
Group 3 (Harlie, Rigel, Matt, Daryll)
Matt is side on and needs to face forward. Matt needs more voice projection and so does Daryll. Voice enunciation is good except for Matt because he is talking in a high voice and needs to either enunciate his words well or not speak in a high voice. The body language is good because it shows what emotion they are feeling.
Group 4 (Lauren, Greg, Julia, Ben) They are all speaking to each other and not to the audience. Side on- this means if wearing a mask you can't seen the actor's face.Good voice projection. Ben needs more expression and needs to open his mouth. Ben needs more movement!
Group 5 ( Kayne, Jennifer, Aaron, Natasha) Jennifer has good voice projection. Kayne needs some expression. Aaron has very good acting and expression. Everybody needs to respond to whats being said.
Slave information. The slave masks of Greek theater were often grotesque due to the fact the slave was considered a non-citizen, as well as inferior. The slaves, in Aristotelian thinking, were considered hot and dry. This was due to the fact that they spent much time outdoors performing tasks for their masters and, as a result, their skin had been dried by the sun. The slave had a reddish complexion and tawny hair, which was also attributed to the time spent in the sun. In the later years of Greek theater, white and brown were common hair colors used for the slaves, although the brown hair still carried a reddish tint (Wiles 165). Due to their Asia Minor origins, slaves of this time are expected to have black hair, however, black hair was reserved for the free man. The slaves were also distinguished from the free men by the distinctive, stylized beard. The beard of the slave was solid and formed a trumpet around the mouth while the beard of the free man was made of real hair (Wiles 153). In later slave masks, the top of the beard overhangs the lips, which could change the expression of the slave depending upon the angle of vision (Wiles 135).
Homework Monday 7th March - Thursday 10th March Theory
Origin 1. How did Greek Theatre develop? Greek theatre developed from religious rites which dated back to at leas 1200 BC. Greece at that time was peopled by tribes that we may label as 'primitive'. In northern Greece in an area called Thrace, a group arose that worship Dionysus the god of fertility and procreation. The group which worshipped Dionysus practiced ritual celebrations such as getting drunk, human and animal sacrifices and even hysterical rampages by women! The group's most controversial practice was uninhibited dancing and emotional displays that created an altered state this state was known as 'ecstasis' which is where the word ecstasy comes from.
2. What were the first types of Greek Theatre? Greek Theatre was an element of a Greek festival transferred to a Roman festival. The Greeks kept their fields or art, literature and philosophy whilst the Romans expanded their military. 3. How did this change? 4. What was the winner of the festival awarded?
Chorus 1. What was the role of the chorus? The role of the chorus was to comment as one voice on the dramatic action throughout the play. 2. How many were there? The chorus was made up of 12-15 people 3. Who were they? The chorus was made up of 15 men drawn from the village and were regarded as a civic duty. 4. How were they selected? The men were drawn from citizenry.
Performance Spaces 1. Where originally was Greek Theatre held? Greek theatre was originally held in open areas or city centres. 2. How did this change? Greek Theatre was then later performed in proper outdoor theatres. 3. Label the important areas of the Greek Theatre on the picture provided. (THERE IS NO PICTURE)
Acting 1. What did Greek actors wear on stage? Greek actors wore costumes that were worn around the village. Clothes would represent the character's status. 2. What name were they known by? 3. Why did Greek actors wear masks? Greek actors wore masks because when performing to a huge audience their faces would be visible. Masks also allowed the actors to change roles by simply changing masks. Lastly the masks allowed the audience to focus more on the actor's actions as opposed to what the actor looks like.
Final mask product :)
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The beard is made out of curled paper..
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Week 8 - Sample Essay Question - to work on in Week 9 - submit final copies by Friday 25th March online @ Moodle (link to be posted soon)
“How has your study of Greek Theatre helped you to appreciate the origins of Western Theatre practices”
Revise your research on the origins of Greek and Roman Theatre
Explore the context in which theatre originated
The ways modern theatre practices have been shaped by the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Revise our workshop activities and make appropriate reference to the ways your understanding of theatre has been shaped by these activities
Refer to your mask work and performance in your essay too.
Use the scaffold provided in class to plan your response.
Greek Theatre Assessment Task feedback
MYP/BOS
Criterion B
9-10
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
/10
Application
The student is highly competent in choosing and applying a range of skills and strategies for the realisation of work. The student’s processes and resolved work reflects a high level of proficiency and creativity.
The student shows competence in applying skills and strategies needed for the realisation of work, which shows creativity and proficiency in technique
The student applies skills and strategies needed to produce creative work showing reasonable proficiency in technique
The student demonstrates success with basic skills and strategies. The work reaches a point of realization and shows some proficiency in technique
The student demonstrates limited abilities to use the skills and strategies. The work is of poor quality
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
5
Criterion A
7-8
5-6
3-4
1-2
0
/8
Knowledge/ Understand-ing
The student shows a thorough understanding of the topic under consideration. The student confidently applied theoretical knowledge and subject specific terminology to identify clearly the complexities of the materials studied.
The student shows a broad understanding of the topic under consideration, and applies theoretical knowledge and subject specific terminology to identify some complexities of the materials studied.
The student shows a basic acquisition of the theoretical knowledge and understanding of the topic studied. The student uses some subject specific terminology to show critical awareness
The student has required limited theoretical knowledge and little understanding of the topic studied
Student does not reach the standard described by any of the descriptors listed.
6
NAME: Sophie Comments / Feedback: You had good gestures and when you spoke with the chorus, you managed to speak as one voice for the most part. You needed to face the audience more when you were playing the attendant role. You spent a lot of time looking across stage and it meant we only saw the side of your mask. You must perform in a presentational style for Greek theatre. Your mask was effective (when we could see itJ) it was well sized and the bear was quite striking. It is a shame we didn’t see it more in performance. Your DW is very detailed and your updates are thorough. Be sure to use this research to help your practical work. You must show more confidence in your performance work.
31/01/11
Greek Theatre: Focus Chorus+Mask
Explain how the activities we did today developed your knowledge and understanding of Greek theatre.Activities Included
Group vocal- chorus
sustaining a group note /sound
Oedipus the king etreact reflect on kayley's group/ the direction given and effect of direction
mask: neutral masks. How did it feel (as actor+audience)
Journal entry #1
Today was a normal Monday afternoon except for the fact that we had double drama and that we as actors were going to be introduced to the concepts of masks and to the concept of chorus's. The activities that we did today really helped increase my knowledge and undesrtanding of Greek Theatre because knowing that the Greek's used masks and chorus's transforms you into a whole new acting world. I am first going to discuss the chorus side of Ancient Greek Theatre and what we did in class relating to being in a chorus. The whole class started off being a chorus together. We had to experience how hard it was to keep in unicen without being counted in, also we had never done anything like that before so it was nice to experience something new. Also when you are in a chorus doing an exercise when one person sings a note and everyone joins in you kind of feel like you have sung with that group before. When we were in groups performing the Oedipus scene
chorus really added more drama to the scene.
Secondly when my group got directions from Ms Partington to get the chorus to move in slower and slower added huge dramatic effect to the scene because the suspense was created and it drew the audience in. I am glad you could see the impact this decision made. Consider this too, when rehearsing your scene for performance.
Lastly when we worked with the masks being an audience was very intimidating because people that you know walking around in white masks not acting like themselves and invading you personal space is really quite scary, especially if the person is acting angry or like a wild animal and is completely not themselves.
6/02/11
Notes on BBC
- Greeks laugh in an unpleasant way
- Men in costume, e.g bird costume
- Comedy was introduced after 400 BC
- Comedy allows people to participate
- No boundaries between the world of the stage and the audiences’ world
- Highly skilled comic actors
- Old comedy is called ‘old comedy’ because that is what the Greek’s called it.
- If the play writer didn’t like someone, they would display that person’s habits on stage.
- Drama was incorporated into a religious festival
- The god of performance is very present in the world of comedy as opposed to the world of tragedy
- The Greek’s turned everything they had into competitions
- The Greek’s loved to go see plays if they knew that there would be prize winners and that there would be hatred
- Play writes want success because it was very competitive
- You have a very small number of highly skilled actors
- The actors were professionals-they didn’t do anything else
- The Chorus people were all amateurs. Practically everyone in the audience would all be chorus members
- All men
- All of Aristophanes plays are built around ideas.
- The imagination that makes the comedy good
Journal entry #2 date: 9/02/11
The activities today develop your knowledge and understanding of Greek Theatre, What was the focus?
The focus of today's lesson was using masks. However it wasn't that simple as we weren't allowed to talk we had to use big gestures to show what we were feeling. To start off with we each chose a mask (not a greek theatre one) and put it on in the mirror and got into character. I had a mask that would probably be used in a tragedy. We were instructed to walk around the room pretending we were that character. I had to make myself think that I was sad and I had to show other people that I was sad as well. I walked around with my hands on my face, in a way kind of hiding my face and pretending to wipe the tears from my eyes. We had to focus on the way we were walking and the way that we reacted with people. It is quite tricky to get used to wearing a mask. I can't imagine how hard it would be for Greek actors because their masks were huge and they were performing to huge crowds of people so their actions had to be humongous and extravagant.
Later on in the lesson we had to pair up with someone and go through 5 different freeze frames that told a story, with no talking, this taught us to make our actions really obvious and not rely on facial expressions as when you have a mask on no one can see your face. So we had to think carefully about how to use our hands and body language to show our emotions. I was a sad person so I put my head down and my hand over my face to show that I was sort of hiding from everything. I mainly used my hands to my advantage because you can use them easily to show emotion.
It is great to see you are reflecting regularly. You are linking the activity to the skills quite well. It would eb good for you to investigate these further by researching movement and mask. Include your discoveries on your wiki.
12/02/11, Journal entry #3
Review the two different performances. What meaning has created with the female cast? How did this change with the boy actors.
The two different performances of the play were completely different in many different ways. When the girls performed the mood was very serious and there was no humour in it whatsoever! The girls performed it as though they were those women and as though their husbands had really gone to war. None of the girls took the mickey out of the play or the characters at all! I also think the girl’s performance would’ve been really boring to watch as there was no humour or life in it, it was all just plain and simple. When the boys performed everything changed. The whole mood of the play went from serious to hilarious! Thus Greek Comedy was born!The reason for this is because the fact that boys were playing female characters gossiping and ranting on about men is just all out funny. Also boys enjoy taking the mickey out of the female characters and use stereotypes when doing this. For example Rigel put a voice on and acted really posh and iffy which being an audience member just makes you giggle. It is the same with girls playing boy characters; we enjoy taking the mickey because it makes the audience enjoy the performance more as it is funnier.
14/02/11-Valentines Day :D
Chorus work: activity 'speaking in one voice'
- What were the challenges in this activity? You needed to offer and yueld as you spoke as one, what do these terms mean? What skills can this task teach which you will need for Greek/Roman theatre performance?
The were many different challenges faced in this activity, one was the fact that you actually had to speak at exactly the same time with two other people, without actually knowing what we were going to say. Another challenge you faced when doing this activity was actually coming up with what you were going to say on the spot, without knowing what the interviewer is going to ask you. The last challenge we faced in the activity was having to listen to the other people in the group and in a way guessing what they were going to say and having to get your words right immeaditely. The terms to 'offer' and to 'yield' mean that you have to suggest ideas (offering) by starting to speak and letting people follow with you. To yield is when you are going along with what the other person has offered. For example, if someone in your group of 3 was starting to say ' I... had... a ..... bath' You would say the same thing and not try and be funny and change it. The skills that you learn in this task are learning to be 'one' and this is what you need to do when you are in a chorus. You have to be exactly in sync to get the best effect when being in a chorus otherwise no-one understands what the line you are peforming is...
Extract #2 Lysistrata-enter the chorus.
Summary online of the play 'Lysistrata'
Simply stated, the plot of Lysistrata depicts Athenian women who are fed up with the Peloponnesian War, so they
barricade themselves in the Akropolis. They orchestrate a sex strike in order to force their husbands to vote for peace with
Sparta.
The play’s action occurs on a street in Athens in front of a gate to the Akropolis, which looms in the background. As the
play begins, Lysistrata, an Athenian woman, is pacing back and forth, waiting for the women of various Greek states to
gather to form an alliance for peace. Finally Kleonike, another Athenian woman, arrives. The frustrated Lysistrata
complains of the women’s tardiness. Eventually more women arrive including Lampito, a strapping Spartan woman;
Ismenia, a pretty Boiotian girl; and a very large Korinthian woman. After greeting each other and inspecting each other’s
differences, Lysistrata asks all the women if they would prefer their husbands and sons home rather than out fighting a
war. She suggests a plan of sexual abstinence as a method of peaceful coercion. The women at first refuse, but Lysistrata
convinces them and leads them in an oath of allegiance. As soon as the oath is completed, loud cries are heard in the
distance, and Lysistrata reveals that a group of older women, under her orders, have taken over the Akropolis. Lysistrata
sends Lampito to Sparta to spread the word of their feminine alliance. The rest of the women enter into the Akropolis to
set up their command center.
A chorus of old men enter carrying wooden logs, torches, and fire pots. The men move slowly and are weak from age, but
they plan to storm the Akropolis and punish the women who plotted against them. A chorus of old women carrying
pitchers of water then enters. They confront the old men and a verbal battle ensues, ending with the chorus of women
dumping their pitchers of water over the men’s heads. The Commissioner of Public Safety enters and orders his policemen
to force open the Akropolis’s gates (p. 45). Once opened, Lysistrata is revealed accusing all men of having brawn and no
brains when it comes to solving conflicts. The Commissioner orders the policemen to arrest her. One by one each
policeman is dissuaded as the other women in the Akropolis come forward and threaten the men with various domestic
weapons. Eventually a large battle ensues, and Lysistrata calls on an army of women who defeat the men using their
household weapons.
Beaten and disgruntled, the Commissioner requests that Lysistrata state her terms. She reveals a plan where the women
will control the state budget and save the men from the war. The Commissioner angrily ridicules Lysistrata as she attempts
to explain her plan. Lysistrata, aided by the other women, silences the Commissioner by wrapping him in her veil,
transforming him into a figurative woman. The chorus of women dance and sing of their plans for peace. Lysistrata reveals
a step-by-step approach to align the states of Greece and stop the war. The Commissioner tells the women they neither
have rights nor any voice in decisions about the war. The women attack him and then retreat into the Akropolis leaving
the male chorus to address the audience.
The male chorus leader commands the men to ready for war and then attacks his female counterpart. The choruses strip
off their tunics and engage in a naked battle of the sexes. Lysistrata enters, interrupts the battle, and announces that many
of the women in the Akropolis are trying to escape. She stops a number of women in their departure who use weak excuses
of domestic duty rather than admitting they simply want to return to their husbands for sex. Lysistrata convinces the
A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of Aristophanes’s
Lysistrata
The male chorus tells a story of a mighty hunter known for his celibacy and misogynous behavior. Both choruses exchange
insults and fight for a second time. They are interrupted by Lysistrata who spies a man approaching the Akropolis.
Myrrhine, a young Athenian woman, recognizes the man as her husband Kinesias. Lysistrata tells Myrrhine to use her
womanly wiles to seduce and coerce him, but warns her to know when to stop. Kinesias arrives bearing a full erection,
and Lysistrata teases him relentlessly. Kinesias, in obvious physical distress, tries many tactics to convince Myrrhine to
come home and have sex with him. Myrrhine appears to succumb, suggesting that they have sex immediately. Kinesias
eagerly agrees. Myrrhine offers bed, mattress, and pillow, running back and forth between Kinesias and the Akropolis. She
provides all that is necessary without an ounce of sexual contact. This teasing game escalates Kinesias’s frustrated desire,
so that when they are finally lying together and Myrrhine asks for his vote for peace, Kinesias cries out, “I’ll think it over!”
Myrrhine runs off without satisfying him, and Kinesias delivers a tragic soliloquy, accompanied by the male chorus.
A Spartan herald, wearing a cloak in an attempt to conceal his erection, is intercepted by the Commissioner who also
displays an erection (p.91). The frustrated men exit, agreeing to convince their separate senates of an armistice. The male
chorus chastises the female chorus, but the female chorus returns their verbal attacks with kind offers and a gentle kiss to
the male chorus leader who proclaims, “Life with women is hell. Life without women is hell, too.” The two choruses unite
and address the audience with an invitation to a conjoined feast of peace.
Two groups of men enter, one from Athens and one from Sparta, all concealing erections underneath cloaks. They plead
for peace at any cost and call upon Lysistrata to help them resolve the conflict. Lysistrata appears with Peace, a naked
handmaiden, whom she instructs to lead the two groups of men to her so that she may address them. Peace does so,
causing further arousal. Lysistrata points out to each party how the other had come to their neighbor’s aid in past wars
and chastises them for treating each other so badly. The men guiltily agree and attempt to plan a treaty using Peace’s naked
body like a map, making claims to certain parts. Lysistrata stops them and urges them to leave and purify themselves so
that they may return and enter the Akropolis for a peace ceremony. She promises a home-cooked feast, concluding with
the men taking their wives home. The men eagerly exit to prepare for the feast while the united choruses address the
audience about their new-found appreciation for their neighbors.
The drunk and happy men come out of the Akropolis, led by a flutist, celebrating their new peaceful behavior. Lysistrata
matches the women with each of their men and charges all to dance and sing to the gods in thanks for this happy ending.
They all do so, and exit singing and dancing.
"A teacher's Guide to the signet classic edition of Aristophanes Lysistrata." Signet Classic. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. <bompacrazy.com/library/teaching
What themes/issues are explored in the play? The issues and themes explored in the play mainly relate to female discrimmination. This is because men were way more superior to women back in those days and men expected women to do everything for them and the men thought they could order women around and tell them what to do and expect them to obey. Another issue in this play is that the women are refusing to sleep with their husbands until the war is over. They are sick of being used when the men come home just to leave again in a couple of days, they aren't having sex because they are in love the only reason the men are having sex with the women is because they need it as they've been gone so long without it.
Masks- How are you progressing? I haven't started making my mask yet as I haven't managed to research any plays and I haven't been able to ge to spotlight.
How do I make a mask? (list of websites)
**//http://www.ehow.com/how_5955408_make-greek-theater-mask.html//**
**//http://www.ehow.com/how_7801345_directions-ancient-greek-theater-masks.html//**
**//http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060912045217AAkbG6E//**
**//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_ancient_Greece//**
Research plays you'd be interested in performing.
**//http://www.theatrehistory.com/ancient/bates017.html//** (the antigone)
**//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frogs//** (frogs)
**//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcestis_(play//** (Alcestis)
**//http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medea_(play//**) (Medea)
**//http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/greece/m-story-medusa-and-athena.htm//** (medusa and Athenea)
17th February - Homework - The Greeks and their Gods
You have noticed by now that the Greek plays we have read are filled with references to the Gods. Find 10 examples of references and explain the meaning of each.
The story of Medusa and Athena. Medusa was a beautiful maiden who lived in the city of Athens. Unfortunately she knew that she was beautiful and bragged about her beauty constantly. Medusa raved about her beauty to anyone who stopped long enough to listen. Until one day when she made her first visit to the Parthenon with her friends. The Parthenon was the largest temple to the goddess Athena in all the land. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, for inspiring them and for watching over their city of Athens.
Thesmophoriazusae. This play includes a festival that was dedicated to the godess Demeter who is the goddess of fertility, agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest.
The KINGHTS: In the first line of this play the word god is mentioned.
"Oh! alas! alas! alas! Oh! woe! oh! woe! Miserable Paphlagonian! may the gods destroy both him and his cursed advice! Since that evil day when this new slave entered the house he has never ceased belabouring us with blows."
Here a reference is made to all the gods and how they have the ability to destroy people.
The Clouds: In this play a reference is made to all the gods but there is also a reference made to Demeter the goddess of harvest. Well then, by Demeter! I will no longer support you, neither you, nor your team, nor your saddle-horse. Go and hang yourself, I turn you out of house and home.
Peace: This play is about a middle aged Athenean man called Trygaues. Trygaeus's misson, he declares, is to reason with the gods about the war or, if they will not listen, he will prosecute the gods for treason against Greece. Then he soars across the stage heavenwards. Arriving outside the house of the gods, Trygaeus discovers that only Hermes is home. In this play all the gods are mentioned but one of the actual characters in this play is Hermes. Hermes is the god of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry.
The Oresteia: This play is a tragedy written by Aeschylus. This play makes references to the gods but also to a particular god Apollo. Apollo is the god of music, healing, plague, prophecies, poetry, and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun.
The Frogs: This play was a tragedy written by Euripedes. This play is about where Dionysus travels to Hades to bring Euripides back from the dead; after a competition of poetry, the god opts to bring Aeschylus instead. Dionysus was the god of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure and Hades was the god of the underworld. He was everything to do with death.
The Bacchae: This is a tragedy that is based on the mythological story of King Pentheus and his mother Agave, and their punishment by the god Dionysus for refusing to worship him. The god Dionysus was the god of wine, parties and festivals, madness, drunkenness and pleasure.
Oedipus: This is a tragedy written by Sophocles. After having been married some time without children, his parents consulted the Oracle of Apollo(God of Sun) at Delphi about their childlessness. The Oracle prophesized that if Jocasta should have a son, the son would kill her husband Laius and marry her. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment, when Jocasta indeed bore a son, Laius had his ankles pinned together so that he could not crawl, and gave the boy to a servant to abandon ("expose") on the nearby mountain. As you can see Apollo has been represented but in oracle form.
Two more things to remember. Include links to thesources you have used for research. And, include photographs of your mask in progress. Great start to your workbook Sophie. Well done. 23/2/11 Ms P.
Photos of the gods....
Medusa
Dionysus
Hermes
Apollo
Demeter
The Frogs-25/02/11
My group is performing the play The Frogs. The Frogs is a Greek Comedy written by Aristophanes.
I am playing Xanthias who is Dionysus's slave.
Xanthias is the underdog because he is very brave, Xanthias also brings some of the comedy aspect into the play with some of his remarks.
Dionysus is the god and thinks he is amazing, he believes that he is the best and the strongest, however he isn't!
My character is meant to be the weak one, however he is actually a whole lot braver than his master Dionysus.
MASK IDEAS
This is a picture of a plain white mask sort of like mine. I have drawn arrows on this picture to show that I don't want his mouth to be showing that much happiness, his mouth still needs to be big but I don't want him to be smiling all the time as the scene we are doing is set in the underworld, so it wouldn't really make sense if he had a huge grin on his face when they were in the underworld because the underworld is the complete opposite of happy. I want him to still be smiling a little because he is in a comedy play and he does laugh a little during the scene.
Seeing that Xanthias is a slave and wasn't in the army he can't have a beard as only soldiers had beards in Ancient Greece. Everyone could recognise slaves because in our scene 'Charon' as soon as he sees Xanthias he tells Dionysus that no slaves are allowed. So Xanthias has to be a bit scrawny, so his cheeks can't be big and bubbly they have to be drawn and in a way old.
Mask Progress
Homework- 2/03/11
28th February - Homework - Greek Theatre - Acting, Voice, Movement, Music, Character & Emotion.
In your pink booklet (the one which has a plastic cover) reread the first reading from Acting in Style pp88-92 and take notes on your wiki under the following headings.
Acting
Voice
Movement
- The actors had to carry themselves with authority and confidence.
- Most of the movements were probably slow, majestic and rythmic and must've been simplififed and broadened to accompany the idealsed characterisation.
- Physical contact between actors was probably rare; the quality of restraint could have been accentuated by allowing great phsical distance between characters.
- The maner of speaking was directed more towards the audience instead of teh other actors.
- Actors hardly ever sat on stage.
- Individiualised physical movements were kept to a minimum.
- The clothing of later periods restricted the mobility of the actors.
- There was no need for facial expressions as your face was hidden by a mask
- Costumes remained similar to everyday wear.
MusicIn show and tell (filming)
Reflect and give feedback for each group. What is working well? What do the group need to change/adjust? How long does the performance last? How Greek is it????
Group 1. (Sean, Katie, Jannette, Tom)
Everyone has good voice intonation and expression.The body language works well with what they are saying. They need to improve on voice projection and speaking to the audience because that is what Greek Actors did as opposed to talking to the other actors. The staging also needs to be improved because both of the feuding parties are on the same side, so they need to be on opposite sides. The performance goes for around 5 mins 30 which means it is perfect timing. The play was relatively Greek as two masks were finished.
Group 3 (Harlie, Rigel, Matt, Daryll)
Matt is side on and needs to face forward. Matt needs more voice projection and so does Daryll. Voice enunciation is good except for Matt because he is talking in a high voice and needs to either enunciate his words well or not speak in a high voice. The body language is good because it shows what emotion they are feeling.
Group 4 (Lauren, Greg, Julia, Ben)
They are all speaking to each other and not to the audience. Side on- this means if wearing a mask you can't seen the actor's face.Good voice projection. Ben needs more expression and needs to open his mouth. Ben needs more movement!
Group 5 ( Kayne, Jennifer, Aaron, Natasha)
Jennifer has good voice projection. Kayne needs some expression. Aaron has very good acting and expression. Everybody needs to respond to whats being said.
Slave information.
The slave masks of Greek theater were often grotesque due to the fact the slave was considered a non-citizen, as well as inferior. The slaves, in Aristotelian thinking, were considered hot and dry. This was due to the fact that they spent much time outdoors performing tasks for their masters and, as a result, their skin had been dried by the sun. The slave had a reddish complexion and tawny hair, which was also attributed to the time spent in the sun. In the later years of Greek theater, white and brown were common hair colors used for the slaves, although the brown hair still carried a reddish tint (Wiles 165). Due to their Asia Minor origins, slaves of this time are expected to have black hair, however, black hair was reserved for the free man. The slaves were also distinguished from the free men by the distinctive, stylized beard. The beard of the slave was solid and formed a trumpet around the mouth while the beard of the free man was made of real hair (Wiles 153). In later slave masks, the top of the beard overhangs the lips, which could change the expression of the slave depending upon the angle of vision (Wiles 135).
(http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/69068.html)
Homework Monday 7th March - Thursday 10th March
Theory
Origin
1. How did Greek Theatre develop? Greek theatre developed from religious rites which dated back to at leas 1200 BC. Greece at that time was peopled by tribes that we may label as 'primitive'. In northern Greece in an area called Thrace, a group arose that worship Dionysus the god of fertility and procreation. The group which worshipped Dionysus practiced ritual celebrations such as getting drunk, human and animal sacrifices and even hysterical rampages by women! The group's most controversial practice was uninhibited dancing and emotional displays that created an altered state this state was known as 'ecstasis' which is where the word ecstasy comes from.
2. What were the first types of Greek Theatre? Greek Theatre was an element of a Greek festival transferred to a Roman festival. The Greeks kept their fields or art, literature and philosophy whilst the Romans expanded their military.
3. How did this change?
4. What was the winner of the festival awarded?
Chorus
1. What was the role of the chorus? The role of the chorus was to comment as one voice on the dramatic action throughout the play.
2. How many were there? The chorus was made up of 12-15 people
3. Who were they? The chorus was made up of 15 men drawn from the village and were regarded as a civic duty.
4. How were they selected? The men were drawn from citizenry.
Performance Spaces
1. Where originally was Greek Theatre held? Greek theatre was originally held in open areas or city centres.
2. How did this change? Greek Theatre was then later performed in proper outdoor theatres.
3. Label the important areas of the Greek Theatre on the picture provided. (THERE IS NO PICTURE)
Acting
1. What did Greek actors wear on stage? Greek actors wore costumes that were worn around the village. Clothes would represent the character's status.
2. What name were they known by?
3. Why did Greek actors wear masks? Greek actors wore masks because when performing to a huge audience their faces would be visible. Masks also allowed the actors to change roles by simply changing masks. Lastly the masks allowed the audience to focus more on the actor's actions as opposed to what the actor looks like.
Final mask product :)
The beard is made out of curled paper..
Week 8 - Sample Essay Question - to work on in Week 9 - submit final copies by Friday 25th March online @ Moodle (link to be posted soon)
“How has your study of Greek Theatre helped you to appreciate the origins of Western Theatre practices”
Use the scaffold provided in class to plan your response.
Greek Theatre Assessment Task feedback
5
6
NAME: Sophie
Comments / Feedback:
You had good gestures and when you spoke with the chorus, you managed to speak as one voice for the most part. You needed to face the audience more when you were playing the attendant role. You spent a lot of time looking across stage and it meant we only saw the side of your mask. You must perform in a presentational style for Greek theatre.
Your mask was effective (when we could see itJ) it was well sized and the bear was quite striking. It is a shame we didn’t see it more in performance.
Your DW is very detailed and your updates are thorough. Be sure to use this research to help your practical work. You must show more confidence in your performance work.